1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to quick action fasteners; and, more particularly, to improved bolts for use in quick action fasteners for panels of aircraft or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Quick action fasteners are well known in the art. One such fastener is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,816 to Harbison et al. These fasteners comprise a bolt body of stepped diameters and are used in aircraft panels having holes of certain diameters. These fasteners can be shifted in the panel holes, due to their stepped diameters, to compensate for slight misalignment of the holes in an abutting panel and subpanel
In my co-pending application Ser. No. 922,072, filed Oct. 20, 1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,881, issued Feb. 9, 1988, and commonly assigned, I disclose a quick action aircraft fastener assembly which can be used in preexisting aircraft panel and sub-panel holes while providing for some misalignment of the holes without danger of loss of components of the fastener assembly. The bolt has a shank of varying diameters and is retained to a panel wherein the retainer does not have to expand and contract as it passes over the varying diameters of the bolt body.
Such fasteners in the prior art, and most flush head type bolts, have a countersunk opening in the head thereof configured to a tool, such as a hex opening and Allen-type tool, whereby the tool an be inserted into the opening and the bolt rotated to install or remove the same.
These open holes can become contaminated and cause airdrag. These holes can be filled up with putty or the like after installation but subsequent adjustment or removal would require drilling out the dried putty. This of course is time consuming and results in lost man hours.
There is thus a need for bolts having countersunk openings for engagement by a tool to rotate the same provided with means for automatically closing off the openings in a flush manner after rotation.